Interesting Bear Hunts Open Near Quebec City

Published: September - 2006

A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to hunt the Laurentide Reserve, 3,000 square miles of rolling hills and black spruce just north of Quebec City, and I reported on it in this publication (See Article ID 1431). The growing black bear population had become a problem there over the years, and to help get things in line SEPAQ, the governmental agency that oversees all parks and reserves in the province, decided to open the area to bear hunting for the first time. To make a long story short, it was a most successful experience. My brother and I saw several bears each day at our bait sites and both of us claimed specimens measuring better than six feet.

For reasons still unclear, SEPAQ shortly afterwards decided it didn't want to be in the bear outfitting business but did have a need to continue managing the harvest of bears within the reserve. To solve their dilemma, they divided the reserve into three sections and authorized outfitters just outside the reserve boundaries to operate spring bear hunts within those exclusive territories starting in 2006.

You may remember Gesti-Faune from an article on moose hunting in The Hunting Report (see Article ID 1177). Gesti-Faunne offers fishing for speckled trout and moose hunting on the management group's privately-owned establishments, including the Manoir Brule Fishing Club about a 90-minute drive from Quebec City. They also offered spring black bear hunting, but since the June season coincides with the top brook trout fishing period it was never aggressively pursued or advertised. For nearly 20 years the prime focus at Manoir Brule centered on corporate or group packages for the fabulous native trout angling in its six private lakes and moose hunting in the fall. Individuals were welcomed only when space was available. Clients were surrounded by first-class accommodations and dined each evening on award-winning cuisine that made the end of the day worth anticipating.

While much remains the same at Manoir Brule, owner and operator David Craig is now moving aggressively into the bear-hunting business. This........(continued)